The Half-Blood Prince | Hermione Granger x Male Reader (Book Six)

8. The Malfoy Brothers

Y/N's POV

Exiting the train, me and Draco both got off, looked both sides before readjusting our suits like nothing had ever happened. I wanted to go back to help Harry but that would be too obvious. I felt bad for what I said, but it was all part of the act and I knew Harry would forgive me...hopefully.

"Where have you two been?" asked Snape as we trudged up to the gate, the carriages had stopped coming so me and Draco had to walk all the way there.

"Dealing with something Professor." Draco replied smoothly and without any other questions, Snape let us through, but not before Filch checked our bags.

Walking up to the castle, the two of us side by side, there was silence. We were going to enter the Great Hall late and all eyes would be on us, the Malfoy brothers.

"Was that necessary Draco?" I asked, referring to what had happened back on the train.

"Yes F/N, it was. Potter needs a reality check and know that not everything revolves around him." Draco replied, not looking at me but instead looking forward since we were approaching the entrance of the castle.

Walking through the entrance hall, we made a quick stop in the toilets to change out of our suit, we would be wearing our robes during the school day but then wearing our suits in our free time. Once we had changed into our robes we reached the closed doors that would reveal the Great Hall and without any hesitation, pushed them open.

Silence. All eyes were on us and then there was muttering and whispers of everyone talking about us. Not making eye contact with anyone, me and Draco walked confidently with no sign that everyone whispering things and rumours about us affected us.

"I heard their father's in prison..."

"Serves them right...Malfoy scum..."

"What do they think they're doing? How come they didn't come in with the others?"

"Probably doing something dodgy that'll land them in a family cell with their father."

"The Malfoy's aren't special...but they think they are."

Blocking the other murmurs from other students out, me and Draco sat down at the Slytherin table where Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle were.

"Where were you?" asked Pansy.

"None of your business." I replied before filling my plate with some food. The sorting had finished and the feast had started. I made no attempt to look over at the Gryffindor table and I focused solely on my plate of food before I heard the noise of the Great Hall doors opening again.

In walked Harry, his face bloody but his nose seemingly fixed. I could hear Draco scoff and mutter something disapproving. The students all began whispering rumours to each other, people linking Harry's bloody face to our late arrival.

After minutes of other students whispering and talking about false rumours, everyone continued eating again and after all the plates were cleared, Dumbledore began his second speech of the night.

"The very best of evenings to you!" he said, smiling broadly, his arms opened wide as though to embrace the whole room.

I noticed that Dumbledore's right hand was as blackened and dead-looking as that something had cursed it. It was no normal injury, it was very Dark Magic. It was something to do with the ring he was wearing...

"Now...to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you and Mr Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes."